June 11, 2017

I want you to know that I am more fully me, because of you, my sweet littles. The whole world is in front of you and I can't wait to see what you do with it. Travel everywhere. Take risks. Go on rad adventure after rad adventure. Fight for what you believe in. Laugh...a lot. Watch out for mean people. Don't be mean. Be brave and never let others tear you down. Keep your eyes and ears and heart wide open at all times. And if you feel small in the great wide world, be still.

Remember who you are and where you came from. Be a leader, not a follower. Always remember you have a mom and dad who love you beyond comprehension. Don't settle. Being smart is cool. Fight off thoughts of comparison. Just know that stuff won't make you happy. You have more potential than you will ever know. Root people on. Cheer for others when they succeed and cry with them when they need a shoulder. Find people to love and love them hard. Serve others. Be generous with your time and heart. Don't ever lose yourself in another person. Pray daily. Eat your vegetables. Spend more time worrying about how beautiful you are inside than outside. If there is a single lesson that I could hope to impart to you, it's that you are a beloved child of
God and your worth is beyond measure. Never ever forget that.

And on a totally unrelated note, these jeans are top notch! They are exactly what I am looking for when I'm doing the mom uniform thing...which is pretty much every single day! They have all the stretch and bend that you need when picking up toy after toy and chasing your little ones up and down stairs and beyond. If you're in the market for a great pair of jeans, follow the link and look at all the different styles! Liverpool Jeans LIVERPOOL JEANS

March 13, 2017

It all started when my 2-year-old spilled a tall glass of green smoothie all over my new rug. My expensive new rug. (Everything is expensive when you are living on loans... lol). I felt my blood boiling and needed to take a breather in the closet to collect myself. I've always told myself that I don't want THINGS to be important to me. Sure, I want nice things in my home but I always want my children to know and feel that they are more important than the THINGS we collect. The new rugs we collect. I never want to get so angry at them that they feel sad and shamed that they had a smoothie spilling accident. That's where my new favorite rug on the planet comes in...Lorena Canals Rugs! Have you heard of them? I've seen their company over Instagram and a lot of people have great things to say about their rugs. That's when I decided to try their product out for myself.

Oh, I just love my new rug! And the best part? It's machine washable. I literally jumped for joy when I found this out! No more worries about that green smoothie all over the rug. Machine washable rugs are the rugs that fit my life right now. With three children 3 and under, I wouldn't have it any other way! Every rug from Lorena Canals is handmade with love by artisans, crafting the highest quality products possible. And can we talk about the designs? Their are styles for your living room or for your playroom...the possibilities are endless. The rugs are also 100% cotton, eco-friendly, and have natural dyes. They have a new tropical vibe rug collection that I have been eyeing recently too. But isn't the one I picked gorgeous? I've literally moved it to every room in our house and it goes perfectly. Check out their site Lorena Canals rugsand I promise you won't be disappointed!

February 27, 2017

One of my best girlfriends just got pregnant for the first time and asked me, "What is my one baby must-have"? I've never answered a question faster in my life--MY DOCKATOT! It's a must have. A true life-saver! I've always been a little worried about co-sleeping with my newborns until I was introduced to this awesome product. My husband and I are pretty hard sleepers and it is way too scary for me to have my newborn in our bed. I always wake up panicked and check if they are breathing and I just worry a lot about it. Well, that is until we tried out the DockAtot. I really don't have to worry anymore!

My new baby girl Monroe is about 4 weeks old now and I have no doubts it makes her feel safe & comfortable with those bumpers holding her in. We sometimes swaddle her and place her in it and we sometimes just let her arms and legs hang out. She doesn't really have a preference:) I have been sleeping better now with my newborn than I did with my 2 younger boys when they were her age. I owe it to the DockAtotand that my baby gets to sleep so close to me!

If you're not into the whole-co-sleeping thing, that's ok! It can also be used for a changing pad, bonding, bed transitioning, tummy time, lounging, resting, playing, cuddling, etc. Really anything you want. Even for going on a picnic or to the beach. I plan on taking mine there this summer!

Another big reason I love it is my boys know they can mess with her when she is in her DockAtot. I call it her "special bed" and they know they can't bug her when she's in there. I've even let my youngest son sleep next to her because I felt comfortable enough that she would be safe next to him! Oh, I just love it!

Here are some other awesome benefits of the DockAtot:

I'm so grateful for this product and it truly has been a lifesaver for us. I've had so many struggles this pregnancy and delivery, but I haven't had to struggle with the sleeping as much this time around! Thank youuuuuuuu!

January 10, 2017

Social media...I hate you but I love you. Instagram can be such a strange, inspiring, wonderful, frustrating place. I want to wring its neck on Tuesday and I wan to kiss its face off on Friday. I've had a really difficult time posting on social media lately. It has been 2 weeks of radio silence and I honestly feel like I could delete it all and be happy as a clam. What's the point of all of it? There are some good moments of positivity for me, but lately I've felt like being in the moment with my family has made me 100 times happier.

Last week I spent a good hour scrolling through my Instagram feed and I caught myself in the "grass is greener" trap. I found myself comparing every aspect of my life, both internal and external, to complete strangers. I was questioning my accomplishments, my quality of photos, my worth, my beige walls, everything that makes me, ME! We set this silly "trap" for ourselves and then we fell small. Why, oh why?

There is no win in comparison. And there's no love in comparison, either." Comparison is such a happiness killer, guys! Just because we see good in someone else's life, doesn't mean it takes away from the good things in your life. We have to remember we are comparing our behind the scenes with everyone else's highlight reel. Nobody is perfect and nobody has a perfect...even though some pictures portray perfection. So how do I get outta this trap? I put down my phone and started reminding myself what I have, who "follows" & "likes" me in real life, what makes me spectacular and all the talents and blessings I have been given. I started thanking Heavenly Father for making me special. We need to be thankful for what we have and celebrate our little "victories". All I keep coming back to during the new year is "enough". Because we are. I am. You are.

I can't just erase my Instagram account because it has become a little business for me. I have collaborations to follow through on and products to take photos of. It has been such a great creative outlet for me in the lonely days of motherhood, but this 2 week break has been so good for my soul. I doubt I will ever stop trying to grow my feed and this tiny business of mine, but it's nice to have breaks once in a while to set new goals of putting down your phone and being present...especially in the 3 weeks before this baby girl joins our family.

And on a totally unrelated note, I can't press publish on this post until I mention the cutest maternity shop Audrey & Olive!

This turtleneck tunic is from their shop and I literally can't get enough of it. Their motto is "Pregnancy shouldn't mean having to compromise on style" & I love that! Their clothing can be worn pregnant or not, so I'm excited to wear this top after baby girl arrives too! Oh, I love a good shop find and I just felt like this one couldn't go without sharing!

December 05, 2016

I can't tell you how much I've longed for a baby girl. My two boys are everything to me, but this pregnancy I couldn't stop daydreaming about what it would be like to add a baby girl to our family. And we finally are!!! The first thing I did was ask my girlfriends their favorite baby girl stores. I wrote down a list of about 15 stores and immediately became overwhelmed. I had nothing for a baby girl in my home, and the list of things I needed was longer than we could afford. That's when I was introduced toThe Baby Cubby. Have you heard of it? It's a one-stop-shop that carries products from all the top brands in the business so I don't even need the long list of 15 stores anymore! Everything I could want or need for baby girl is in one place --The Baby Cubby!!!

If I've seen you in the past week, I have surely expressed my love for this shop! I was introduced to The Baby Cubby a few weeks ago and have fallen madly in love. I recently received a knock on my door from the UPS man delivering my first package from them, and I was thoroughly impressed with the quality and timeliness of the delivery. Waiting patiently for orders for baby girl is just not my thing..ya know what i mean? :)

One of the many reasons I love The Baby Cubby is that they price match! Nothing makes me happier than finding an awesome product and then finding it for cheaper on Amazon or another shop. They guarantee that you are getting the best deal and I'm definitely all for that. That's definitely a rare quality to find in a baby store! Can you tell I'm excited about this new find of mine?

Another reason I love The Baby Cubby is because their team is made up of real parents like us, who know, test and use these products in their own homes. What's better than a real recommendation from another mom or dad friend? Nothing! They genuinely want to provide the best possible recommendations and service out there.

A few of the other reasons I love The Baby Cubby:

-The way they find the best and safest baby gear out there! They spend hundreds of hours researching for us! (Because no one's got time for that!)

November 28, 2016

Guys. I wish you could have heard my squeals when Freshly Picked moccasins arrived in my mailbox. Best mail day EVER! They sent me the Classic Birch moccasins to review and I can't even begin to describe the love affair I have going on with these baby shoes. They are seriously the best thing since sliced bread. I'll attempt to express the love I have for them, but just know that what I have to say will never do these moccasins justice.

Every single time I take my toddler out into public the scene always ends up looking all too familiar: shoes removed from feet and chucked across the parking lot. or grocery store aisle. or library. Really, thrown wherever we are in public. Shoes never, I mean never, stay on my little boys' feet. That's where Freshly Picked moccasins swooped in and saved my life. And literally saved his feet. I no longer have to be embarrassed when random strangers bend over to pick up the thrown shoes. I no longer have to scold my child for not keeping his shoes on. And I no longer have to search the car high and low for the who-knows-where-they-landed-this-time pair of lost shoes! He actually keeps these moccasins on all day--and can even nap in them they are so comfy! That's why I am so excited to receive these teeny tiny moccasins for my baby girl on the way! She's so lucky to have her own pair too!

Another reason I'm obsessed with Freshly Picked Moccasins is your babies love them as much or more than you do. My toddler Riggins actually requests to wear his moccasins when we go out. He loves playing with the fringe and I know they are the comfiest shoes he owns. I'm very impressed on how well they are wearing and I am positive they will be great hand-me-downs for generations to come. I also love how they are gender-neutral and can be passed down to a girl. These are great shoes for every stage--especially learning how to stand and walk.

These moccasins always seem to be a show-stopper wherever we go. Everyone will stop you and ask you where you got them! They are spotted from far away and adored by most everyone. There is something about a baby in moccasins that can really makes a person smile. And not to mention, they are timeless and go with everything. My boys wear them to church, to play in the sand and then to run at the park.

The only downside to these beautifully, handmade leather moccasins is that they are a bit pricey ($60), but honestly, worth every single penny. Quality over quantity! If you buy the right size, they can lost for over a year. I bought a pair when my boy was 6 months and he is almost 2 and still wearing them. So to sum it all up, I just love these baby moccasins with all of my heart and I recommend them to all!